As is known, communications patch panels frequently incorporate the use of jack modules, like that shown at 100 in FIG. 1, that can be readily attached to and removed from the patch panel. Typically, existing jack modules 100 include a housing 102 having a front portion 104 and a back portion 110. The front portion 104 is visible to the user of the patch panel and includes one or more jack openings 106 configured to receive a communication connector (not shown). The front and back portions 104, 110 engage and mate with each other and serve to protect internal components, such as a printed wiring board 130, one or more jack receptacles 136, and/or a plurality of insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) 138. The jack receptacles 136 are mounted to the front side 132 of the printed wiring board 130, while the IDCs 138 are mounted to the back side 134. Traces (not shown) on the printed wiring board 130 electrically connect the IDCs 138 to electrical contacts 137 (see FIG. 2) housed within the jack receptacles 136. As assembled, each jack receptacle 136 aligns with a jack opening 106 in the front portion 104 of the housing 102, and the IDCs 138 are aligned with a terminal connection region 112 disposed on the back portion 110. As shown, the front portion 104 and the back portion 110 of the housing are secured together with assembly tabs 108 on the front portion 104 that engage assembly notches 109 on the back portion 110.
FIG. 2 illustrates the jack module 100 as it would be seen by a user of a typical communications patch panel. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the terminal connection region 112 in greater detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal connection region 112 includes two substantially parallel rows 114 of alternating wire guide posts 116 and wire guide splitters 117. As best seen in FIG. 3, adjacent wire guide posts 116 and wire guide splitters 117 have a terminal slot 118 disposed therebetween. Each terminal slot 118 provides access to one of the IDCs 138 disposed within the parallel rows 114. Physical and electrical contact is made between a conductor (not shown) and an IDC 138 by urging the conductor into the terminal slot 118 until the conductor passes between the opposed prongs 139 of the IDC (FIG. 1). Opposed portions of the prongs 139 cut through insulation disposed around the conductor, thereby making electrical contact.
To electrically connect a cable including a plurality of twisted pairs to an existing jack module 100, first a technician determines which IDCs 138 are associated with the desired jack receptacle 136 (see FIGS. 1 and 4). In FIG. 1, the IDCs of interest are accessed by way of the pairs of terminal slots labeled 118a, 118b, 118c, and 118d, each of the pairs of the terminal slots 118 being configured to receive the conductors from one of the cable's twisted conductor pairs. Once the desired IDCs 138 have been determined, the technician urges the desired conductor into the appropriate IDC, typically using a device such as a punch-down tool. As shown, one twisted pair would be inserted into each pair of terminal slots 118a-118d. The wire guide splitters 117 assist the technician in separating the conductors of each twisted conductor pair, thereby making it easier for the technician to insert the desired conductor into the desired IDC 138.
Until recently, such methods of routing twisted pairs on the back of existing jack modules 100 were adequate for existing performance levels. This was because in the past variation of the routing of twisted pairs, from pair to pair, had little effect, if any, on performance. However, recent developments, such as patch panels requiring category 6 performance levels, are much more sensitive to variations in twisted pair termination and routing. One approach to reducing variation in termination and routing is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,241 to Abel et al., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety. This patent discusses a termination cap that receives the conductors from the cable, then routes the conductors through apertures and slots in the cap in an organized fashion. The cap is attached to the back portion of the jack module, at which time the organized conductors can be routed to their respective IDCs. Another proposed solution is discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/360,733; filed Feb. 23, 2006 and entitled Device for Managing Termination of Conductors with Jack Modules, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The device discussed therein includes a block with upper and lower surfaces, first and second opposing end walls that define a longitudinal axis, and first and second opposing side walls. The block further includes two apertures extending from the upper surface toward the lower surface, the apertures being sized and configured to receive each of the plurality of twisted pairs of a cable. Each of the side walls includes at least one open-ended slot opening downwardly, the slots being sized and configured to receive a respective twisted pair of conductors and hold them in place. From there the conductors can be punched into place with a punch tool to connect to the IDCs of a terminal connection region.
Although these solutions are adequate, it may in some instances be desirable to provide even more control of the positions of the conductors in order to further reduce variation in their seating with the IDCs, which in turn can improve electrical performance and reliability. It may also be desirable to simplify the interconnection process between the cable and the IDCs.